


The Anvil and the Blade (Stranded With One Bed)

by Shatterpath



Series: The 13 AUs of Christmas 2017 [7]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/F, Matchmaking, Sharing a Bed, Winter Wonderland, except that Sam is NOT Reign, past Alex/Maggie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-19
Updated: 2017-12-19
Packaged: 2019-02-17 01:03:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13065888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shatterpath/pseuds/Shatterpath
Summary: Matchmaking is a delicate art and both Alex and Lena can sniff out a trap. Or can they?For the thirteen AUs of Christmas, my author wrote for me,A cheesy filk sung badly,Luthors who aren't evil,Sexy Space pirates,Amazing awful first date,Meeting at a fan con,Christmas at Hogwarts,Stranded with one bed,





	The Anvil and the Blade (Stranded With One Bed)

**Author's Note:**

> Okay! So here's the plan. There's a place in Washington state called Leavenworth that is famous for its town-wide Christmas shindig. The whole place is under city ordinance that all the buildings must look like a northern European mountain town, which makes for a spectacular sight in the holiday season where they go ALL OUT. I recommend if you ever get a chance to see it. The nightly tree lighting is spectacular, no matter how tropey, because when the entire downtown core gets in on it? Wow.
> 
> Anyway. I'm picking up Leavenworth and dropping it whole cloth into the mountains north of the Los Angeles/National City basin for purposes of this story.
> 
> Also, I have not been watching season 3, nor the bulk of season 2. I just couldn't stomach it, but that might change. Tumblr and some pals have kept me partially informed, so I'm going to dabble in events. I just wanted to touch base with this slightly more jaded Alex, after what she's been through in canon. Lena's character has remained pretty consistent throughout her involvement with larger events. If I accidently contradict canon, my apologies. 
> 
>  
> 
> **In that same vein, screw this 'Reign' bullshit. Lena needs friends and Sam is just a plain ol' human with a cool kid.**
> 
>  
> 
> On to the story!

It had happened gradually, an insidious slow trickle of melting around her heart and Lena was still baffled some days. Luthors didn't have friends, they had minions. But Kara had chipped away at her, gently, persistently, methodically. 

At first, Lena mistook the rush of warmth in her chest as a crush, of romantic feelings towards her loveable pal. After all, what else could it be? It took nearly a year and countless dramas before it sunk pass a lifetime of terrible trials and worse lessons, that Kara really was her friend.

That revelation was a far bigger punch to Lena than any romance would have been. This attractive, welcoming woman wanted to be around her for no outside reasons, no agenda, not even an the angle of attraction, of wanting her in some physical capacity.

It shook Lena right past her bones, past all the self-doubt, past all the hurts and scars to change her on a fundamental level. To have someone like her, love her even, just because they wanted to and nothing else?

It was extraordinary. 

And the effect rippled outward to affect every part of her life.

Lena didn't even notice when relationships began changing around her. When Sam went from one of the few she trusted to someone she liked and liked her back! When she encouraged Jess to call her Lena and warmth had blossomed where there had only been a trusted associate before. When she'd found herself bantering with James, even at work! When Winn had begun calling her, not just to geek out with her, but to just… talk. When amazingly, she had even been sorta friendly with Maggie, despite the arrest so long ago. But that was before…

Before Alex had been hollowed out with the devastation of a shattered heart. 

She had always been an enigma to Lena, friendly, but with very clear boundaries. Her wariness ran deep, that one. Must come with the FBI training and being overprotective. Still, even being so wrapped up with Maggie, Alex made room for Lena in their collective existence, then Sam and Ruby too. 

When the fairytale had fallen apart, the group had made space for Alex as an individual and Lena had found herself increasingly fascinated. Who wouldn't admire that strength? That dedication? The enigmatic woman was like a blade, traumas like the extremes of white hot metal and cold water. Yet the violent extremes only brought out her best, made her stronger and kinder.

And Lena constantly felt as though she barely knew the tip of the iceberg of Alex's true story.

On the street below, Alex pulled into the parking garage of the L-Corp building and told the guard her name, as per the instructions given to her. Immediately she was directed away from the regular flow of traffic, finding herself in a quiet alcove that would hold only a few dozen cars. By the time she was arriving at her end destination, there was an earnest looking kid in a security uniform waiting there with a hand truck of boxes and a large suitcase.

"Danvers?" he asked officiously and she nodded, keying the trunk of the big SUV to swing open silently. With set-jaw efficiency, the kid loaded the things and stood back. "If you'll wait a moment, I'll get the rest. And Miss Luthor has been notified of your arrival."

There was more?

In only a moment, the kid returned with a garment bag and a small hardcase that matched the big suitcase to stow them with the rest of the things crowding Alex's big gym bag and a single battered cardboard box. She bit down a sarcastic comment and nodded at him in acknowledgement of the task completed. Keying the rear to swing shut. Alex leaned against the car and pulled out her phone to fire off some text messages, pulling Susan up first.

_Thanks again for letting me use your car. Lena has an army of boxes that would have made my little commuter cry._

_Lol. You're welcome. Don't be too hard on the pretty little hothouse flower, she's probably never slummed it in the wilds before._

_Ha ha. Leavenworth is hardly the wild. Though the trip up might be a little wild by the looks of the weather report!_

_Then you better drive safe!_

_I promise._

Before she could text Kara and get on her for the seemingly flimsy excuse of a deadline making her late that had Alex's shenanigans alert instincts up in arms, the door opened again to reveal her friend. Though Alex hardly recognized Lena in boots and jeans and a brightly red and green flannel shirt. The chunky eggshell scarf was a nice contrast to that fall of loose, dark hair.

"Hey, lumberjill, you look like the star of a Hallmark Christmas movie," she teased lightly and earned a grin and a little chuckle. Spinning a pirouette, Lena batted her eyelashes playfully. 

"It's not too much?"

"The hiking boots or the flannel that looks like it could fit you and Kara in there with room to spare?"

That got a real laugh then and Alex swept into a bow with her arms aimed at the big car.

"Your chariot, ma'am."

"Ma'am," Lena scoffed and went to the passenger door to climb in and settle. "Did all four boxes make it in?"

Starting up the car and backing up carefully to get underway, Alex chuckled. "Yes. We'll need a pack mule for it all."

"I'm looking forward to holing up for a few days and forgetting the rest of the world exists." Lena's wistfulness tugged at Alex's heartstrings and the sensation felt almost foreign. That grin in the corner of her eye made Alex smile along. "So I brought wine and enough food to keep even the bottomless pit happy!"

"Okay, you earn points for the forethought. And the wine."

The drive passed pleasantly, the women familiar enough with one another to chat. As always, Alex was impressed at how smart and on top of her shit Lena was, even knowing the cracks in her armor ran all the way to her battered soul. 

She'd once thought Kara was out of her damn mind to have befriend this woman of all people. That name and anything Kryptonian was bad news. But Kara had called it right. Lena was so very different than the horrors that had made her name immortal. 

They passed through the mountains that separated the desert suburbs from the main National City basin and found themselves in the arid expanse of the Mohave Desert.

"I haven't been out here before. It's strangely beautiful in a stark sort of way."

Lena's musing was soft and a little distracted, making Alex's scarred heart kick again. "You sound exhausted. Take a nap, I'm good."

"You're sure?"

There was no need to prompt a second time, a limp ease spreading over Lena from the hands out.

A quiet half hour passed as the desert rolled by, before another range of mountains were a black line of teeth against the dim evening sky. Alex decided she needed a break before tackling narrow mountain roads in the dark and the car slowing woke Lena.

Alex marveled at the shiver of reaction that low, sensual noise her companion made as she came around. Perhaps she hadn't been broken irreparably after all.

They were in for a surprise when they opened the doors and the chill in the air was a kick in the teeth.

"Damn," Alex muttered and then grinned cheerfully. "Well, at least we know we'll get an atypical California Christmas when we get there."

"I feel like I'm back in Metropolis, only drier!"

Even as Alex chuckled at her companion, she stilled at another surprise as tiny dry little snowflakes began to filter down from the nearly-dark skies.

"Wow, snow! Cool!"

"California girl," Lena teased affectionately.

Revived with a pit stop and shaking out their legs and most importantly, coffee, they were off again, joining the line of cars winding into the mountains. A line of cars that became a turtle crawl the higher they rose and the harder the snow came down. At one point, boxed in front and back and with downhill traffic picking up, Alex sighed and said, "hope the other three got moving or they'll never get here at all."

Famous last words.

There was little outside indication of Alex's impatience of the crawl up to Leavenworth, except for the soft drum of her left thumb against the wheel in an edgy tic. They swapped outrageous work stories, each regretting the things they had to edit out for the people and projects they had to protect.

Despite enjoying the other's company, both were happy to see a streetlamp holding court at an intersection, a few lights gleaming off in the snow. 

"Civilization!" Lena crowed and boogied in her seat like a kid, making Alex laugh. Little by little more buildings appeared until they were clearly approaching the downtown core. As the buildings clustered more tightly and rose from one story to three, so did the sheer volume of Christmas lights. Disneyland would be jealous of the snappy suits of lights festooning buildings, streetlamps, railings and even large trees reaching for the sky. 

"Wow," Alex marveled, Lena nodding along. "Hey, are you hungry? We should check in with the others and see when they're making it up."

"Dinner, yes please, and I'll send a message."

While she tapped away at her phone, Alex noticed that there was a lot of foot traffic as well as cars moving around. "Y'know, if we wait a bit, this place won't be so crowded. I think we just missed the nightly lights thing they do here."

"Right, Kara is very excited to see that. Ah, speaking of Kara… oh. Well, that puts a crimp in the plans."

"What's that?"

"Her text back is ' _We've gotten trapped down the mountain and will try and get there in the morning. You girls have fun!_ '"

"Seriously?" Alex grumbled and took a moment to rub one hand over her face while still watching the brake lights in front of her. "Ugh. Not that I dislike your company, because I don't, but…"

"I like your company too, but yes, not as much of a girl's weekend away without the others here."

"Exactly. And every place we've crawled past looks full to the rafters. I suppose we can go check in and see if there's room service."

"Works for me."

The silence left in the wake of the exchange went from anticipatory to uncomfortable as a crucial fact slowly came into focus.

"You don't know where we're going either, do you?"

The car actually stopped in the middle of the street, the driver behind them blasting their horn. Alex ignored it for a moment, her sharp gaze cutting over to Lena.

"I think we may have a problem."

Moving the car, Alex ran every conversation she'd had with Kara and Sam in last month through her head. Some part of her had suspected shenanigans, but chalked it up to the slowly increasing prodding to get herself out there and live again after Maggie. As if. She was no more likely now to casually date or-- god forbid-- sleep around, then she was before Maggie. Party girl Alex was firmly a part of her closeted past.

Not including her one wild outing that still made her feel a bit squirmy. What happens on Earth One stays on Earth One, right?

"The call went right to Kara's voicemail," Lena said. "Let me try Sam."

The way Lena pulled the phone away from her ear to stare at it deepened Alex suspicions. "Here, try Ruby." Unlocking her phone, she handed it off.

"You have Ruby's number too?"

"I've been helping her with her biology homework. Great kid."

"She is. And her phone is off too."

"Miss Lena, I do believe we've been punked."

"But… why?"

Alex didn't like that in addition to being understandably bewildered, Lena sounded hurt.

"An excellent question. How about Winn?"

When an opening to a parking lot opened up, Alex took it, needing to get her bearings with this little twist to the trip. Kara had been begging for months for this, both of them still smarting from losing loved ones to twists of fate. It sounded like fun, Ruby had been almost as excited as Kara, and J'onn had nearly twisted her arm to get her away from work to spend some time with her friends… and with herself.

It had not been easy to figure out who she was as just one person again. With months of it under her belt, she was getting better at it, but sure as hell didn't enjoy it. Nights were often the worst. Not the sex, or even the conversation, but having someone to hold while she slept. How Alex had loved that. Having the other four close by had sold her on this trip as much as the Christmas lights and snow.

"No Winn."

"Coward. He knows I'm going to kick his ass for getting in on this. Okay, let's start at the biggest place here. How many can there be?"

An hour later, Alex was about to beat her head on the low table between the couch and the warm fire in the Pine Mountain Resort's lobby. Both she and Lena had been calling and web surfing the surprisingly amount of places in town in search of reservations in a familiar name or an alternate place to lay their heads. But the town was packed just a few days before Christmas on a long weekend with the skiing good. And the snow was now coming down hard enough that Alex didn't feel safe going any sort of real distance in it. Not to mention it was now nearly a foot deep.

Eventually the fruitless search got on both of their nerves.

"Next place I call, I'm going for the jugular," Lena grouched, flopping back into the couch and sulking like a toddler, all pretense of dignity gone. "Do you think they'll buy it if I pulled out the Christmas Miracle?" Sitting up abruptly, she pulled her oversized flannel shirt over her head so that the collar hung about her face like a hood. With those pretty green eyes big and beseeching, she simpered, "Please, good sir, my wife is pregnant and we've need of shelter. Is there any room in the inn?"

Really, Alex needed to get a grip, covering up her quickened heartbeat by giving Lena her driest look. "I'm not holing up in someone's stable." Shrugging her shirt back into place, Lena laughed in delight, the merriment rising to disruptive levels when Alex sang out pretty much at the top of her lungs, "Blasphemy, blas for you, blas for everybody in the roooooooom!"

( **Author's note** : This is one of my favorite gags from a favorite comedian. The gag is @2:04. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2fE78CgIHU)

Some of their frustrations laughed off, the pair sat quietly for a long moment, marveling at the bizarre turn their trip had taken.

"Hey, if they refuse you at the next place, you could just buy it."

Lena gave her smirking companion her best 'very funny' look. "It still wouldn't get us beds. And besides, I think I've made enough crazy financial decisions over you Danvers."

"Touché." 

"But honestly, why all this ridiculousness?"

Before Alex could even start formulating an answer, an employee approached. Figuring they were about to get thrown out and steeling herself for a long, weary, dangerous drive, Alex sat up and focused.

"You're the two whose friends ditched you?"

Wincing at the apt description, they nodded.

"Listen, we're not even supposed to know about it, but there's an old room on the property you can use. It's been on the books to update for years, but keeps getting pushed off. Still, it shares a wall with another, more modern unit, so I know there's plenty of wood stacked up, and it's got a stove and basic electricity. If we go now, we can make it. You have a bigger vehicle?"

"Yeah, a pal loaned me her Jeep Liberty."

"That'll work. Morning might be awkward with this storm, but we'll dig you out if need be. We should get going though. It won't be long before my manager misses me."

The guy at the desk checked out the story, digging out an actual metal key to hand over. To save Lena having to cough up her famous name, Alex signed for and paid the two hundred bucks that was the cheapest rate the resort had.

"I'll pull one of the UTVs to the front to guide you, ladies," the first guy said and caught the keys employee two tossed him. 

"We weren't going to let you freeze."

Mostly reassured, Alex nonetheless went for the trunk to fish out her gun case, tucking her glock into her jacket pocket. Her nerves were probably just irritation, but she was sure as hell was not assuming.

A little off-road vehicle pulled up to lead them in a winding path past hulking buildings blazing electric light into the darkness. Around a fenced area and past trees and some smaller structures was a odd, low building that looked more like a motel with its neatly spaced doors all down its length.

"And here you said you didn't want to stay in a stable," Lena quipped and Alex couldn't stop her laugh.

The employee was waiting for them with two big garbage bags of something dangling from his hands. "This was an old manager unit, chopped in half to make two small units. It's safe enough, but the city doesn't want to permit it because of its size and it has no shower. But it comes in handy sometimes for snow-ins."

"Or wayward tourists," Alex added in, unlocking the door to let him in first. With the flick of a switch, a homey little wood-paneled room was revealed. Oh, but was it little. A toilet and tiny sink had been wedged into an alcove that looked like it might have been a coat closet in a former life, and a few wooden pegs on its outside wall made up a foyer of sorts. Beyond that the small room was lined in heavy shades, and furnished with a miniature bookshelf with an actual picture tube TV atop it beside a small woodstove, one small bed stand and a full-sized bed that took up nearly half the floor space.

Crowding up to her elbow, Lena took one look and gave Alex a truly pathetic 'do we have to?' face that cracked a smile. "Come on, Fancy. It's not like we can sleep in the car."

Their host shook out the garbage bags onto the naked bed, revealing a full suite of pillows and bedding he efficiently set about putting to rights. Alex left Lena to supervise while she went and started collecting their things to haul in. Ready to ignore the boxes, she remembered mention of food and wine and decided the extra trips were worth the hassle. Soon the narrow entryway was crowded with luggage and boxes, and the bed was piled deep in blankets and a few small towels and washcloths. 

"Since there's no shower," the kid said to them when he finished and crouched to start up the logs already set in the small stove. "We'll get you over to the spa tomorrow to take care of that, okay?"

"Thanks. We really appreciate the bail out."

"No problem. Let me grab a few armloads of wood and you can get settled."

Alex shooed Lena to double-check they had gotten everything out of the car that might be harmed by the cold and the snow that was getting uncomfortably close to knee-deep. "My boots are all wet," she pouted and Alex chuckled and locked out the cold night.

"You promised food in those boxes, right?"

"And wine. I don't know about you, but I need a drink."

"God yes!"

With space so tight, they shoved the boxes against the door, crowding the tiny toilet room. The exercise was warming as the wood stove worked to heat the small space. With it being nearly as cold inside as out, the sooner the better. Peeling open the cardboard, Alex boggled at the feast. 

"Holy shit! You weren't kidding about keeping the bottomless pit stocked up! It's like a Tiffany's version of Hickory Farms."

The bounty was dozens and dozens of fancy vacuum packs of foods that needed no refrigeration. There were sausages and cheeses and small loaves of heavy bread and crackers and tasty veggies pickled in a variety of flavors. There were also a ton of candy and some chocolates and an enormous box of tiny little cakes, each neatly decorated like a itty-bitty gift box. Alex chowed down two of them, humming in pleasure over the delicate taste of lemon and what she would swear was rose petals, before handing it off to Lena.

With hungry efficiency, Alex pulled out a single packet of everything in the boxes and piled the multiples sloppily back where they came from. Then she shoved the mess across the floor over by the wood stove and settled in.

Amused by the spectacle and far too hungry to stand on any sort of formality, Lena pulled out a bottle of naturally chilled white wine and joined her. Whipping out a nasty knife from somewhere on her person, Alex attacked the vacuum sealed packets and they set about quieting their rumbling bellies.

Growing up with the sort of privilege Lena had gave her a skewed view of the world and she was well aware of it. Oh maybe a few times in college she might have done something like this, but not often.

"This is not at all the way I thought our night would go," she mused and Alex flashed a little grin around the mouthful she was chewing. There was mustard on her cheek and crumbs on her lips and she looked completely enticing in her disarray. 

"Indoor picnic," Alex said after she swallowed. "A classic!"

They passed the wine bottle back and forth, pointed out delicacies the other hadn't tried, even took a few wild chances with odd things. Alex wrinkled her nose at some smoked fish, but let Lena flirt at her to at least try it. The look on her face made Lena laugh until she snorted and almost choked. Alex got her revenge with a very spicy cheese spread that got her glared at.

As the room steadily warmed, they peeled off layer after layer in between stuffing their faces. Lena was surprised to not even be faintly alarmed at the big pistol Alex pulled out of her jacket pocket and laid on the little pile of fabric.

"My right arm is cooked, can we trade spots?"

Alex shrugged and climbed to her feet, stretching out her back. "Ugh. Too much time behind the wheel." She grabbed Lena's hand and forearm when she teetered in the debris field of their feasting. Not surprisingly, Lena had soft hands, not reflecting the violence that hounded her too often. They weren't Alex's rough hands. 

Once settled in one another's place, Lena looked wryly at the mostly eaten sandwich left behind and made Alex laugh by taking a big bite of it. Particularly when she jumped at the heat of it she hadn't expected.

"Shit, woman! How much mustard did you put on this thing?"

Alex just laughed harder.

There was something about that unfettered laugh that tugged at Lena. Maybe because it had become so rare since…

Shaking that thought off, Lena let herself notice how Alex had let her hair grow out, away from the severe cut she'd had it in, now back to jaw-length and wavy and soft-looking. It was an echo of the brittleness in her that had finally started to thaw.

"Your hair looks nice. You've let it grow out from before…" her voice trailed off and her eyes veered off evasively. Alex sighed expressively, eating forgotten for now, though she did take a healthy swig from the nearly empty wine bottle.

"Yeah, from before. I didn't really care for how severe it was anyway. Though, I suppose it's getting a little long now."

"I like it." Swallowing hard, Lena cast around for something to say. "It's, um, softening. Frames your eyes. You have pretty eyes."

Lena was blushing, her pale complexion showing off the pinking beautifully, and Alex watched her curiously. Then a random thought dropped into her head.

Was she flirting?

It wasn't like Alex had a clue how to pick up on women's signals. She'd gone from closet to domestic bliss to proposing to nearly right up the altar with little time to even catch her breath, much less figure out how to be a gay woman outside of Maggie. Though the sci-fi single one night stand at least taught her a few things.

"I like the flannel," Alex said and was a little horrified over what an idiot she sounded like. "Looks good on you. Makes you softer, more approachable."

Clearing her throat roughly and silently cursing the warmth she could feel on her ears, Alex jumped up and went for the boxes again, relieved to find a bottle of red with a fancy label in what might have been Italian. She was driving in the corkscrew of her multi-tool even as she plopped back down on the floor.

"I'm not normally a wine drinker, but you get some great stuff."

"I'd hope so, that bottle is worth about five grand."

The blasé comment froze Alex where she was wrestling with the bottle with all the grace of a drunk frat boy. Lena's loose smile was pure tease as she tipped back the last of the white, throat working around the liquid. Alex found herself staring at the graceful lines of her, the little curl of smile as she studied the bottle's label.

"This one's about four I think. I lose track."

Lose track, Alex almost scoffed out loud as if that amount wouldn't cover her rent, Ducati payment and groceries… for both sisters. Okay, maybe not both…

"Tastes better shared. Cough up the goodies, you."

That got Alex back to work, carefully wiggling the cork out to Lena's happy clapping. The self-congratulatory swig almost made her moan. "Damn," Alex marveled, honest-to-god licking her chops. "I didn't even know grapes could taste like that."

She grabbed another sloppy mouthful before handing the bottle off. Lena, distracted by the bead of burgundy that was trying to escape from the corner of Alex's mouth, took a moment to grab it.

"Well, I could tell you all about it, but that would reveal my secrets and then I'd have to kill you."

For a moment, Alex blinked at the tease while Lena drank and nearly spluttered at the droll reply. 

"Shouldn't that be my line?"

Looking mock offended, Lena drank again, feeling like she needed the liquid courage and this really was a fantastic blend. No wonder she had a whole box of it at home.

"What, you don't trust me?"

"Well sure, now I trust you. Gimmie."

The red had a punch even a hard drinker couldn't ignore and Alex felt the warmth of it from the belly out.

"What, you didn't trust me before?" Lena asked curiously and Alex made a rude noise.

"No, and you like it that way. If I had trusted you right outta the gate, or worse, asked you to trust me? Neither of us ever would have believed it and you know it. Kara can get away with that shit. We can't."

It was one of the more honest and strangely true things anyone had ever said to Lena. "Touche, Agent Badass. A toast to unusual truths."

"Hear, hear."

Feeling the wine and food loosening her up, Lena climbed to her feet. "I'm getting changed while I can still walk steadily. The airplane lavatory beckons."

"Yeah, that's not a bad idea. I'll do the same."

Raiding their luggage, the pair separated, Alex amused at the several thuds against the thin walls and Lena's dire muttering. She was changed and had the mess organized and set aside before Lena stumbled out of the bathroom and bashed into the boxes, nearly face-planting into the entry door.

"This is going to be a problem, isn't it?"

"Eh, we'll leave that entry light on."

"Cold floor!"

Armed with a pair of fuzzy socks, Lena dove onto the bed, Alex flinching away where she leaned against the side of it. "Comfy?" she drawled as she watched Lena wrestle on the socks before sprawling out as though dropped there. 

"Do you ever get tired of the secrets?" Lena mused and rubbed her hands over her face. "Do you ever want to say, just hang it all? Who gives a rat's ass about the bottom line? Just once I'd like to talk without editing every other thing out of my mouth."

Alex folded her arms over the edge of the bed and set her chin on them. "So tell me one thing you shouldn't. Or, wait, I'll start." Taking a deep breath, she took a stupid chance. "I know where three of your brother's vaults are. The ones keyed to your DNA."

Lena froze, staring at the ceiling for a long moment while she processed that little tidbit. Finally she rubbed at her face again before speaking in a deceptively normal tone of voice. "We should probably compare notes on that. To see if we've accounted all seven or there's some ugly missing piece out there somewhere." With a deep breath, she dropped a bomb Alex really wasn't all that surprised to hear. "I know Kara is Supergirl."

And there it was.

"At first I stayed firmly in denial, but honestly, that only goes so far. Then I was so hurt, because why didn't she trust me? Then I thought, of course she doesn't trust me, duh. But I stuck close, because I really do adore her and I wanted to sorta, I dunno, see what I could learn? Then it dawned on me. It wasn't herself she was protecting."

Finally, the green eyes left off staring at the ceiling and a soft quirk of smile flickered over Alex's face as she anticipated the next words.

"It's you. You specifically and what you represent, the people she loves and wants to protect. The instant I figured it all out, everything made perfect sense. Glad it wasn't me."

"Me too. Well, us too. You've been a good addition."

Standing, Alex set aside the wine bottle before plopping down on the bed, facing her companion.

"C'mere. You need a hug."

Lena didn't need to be told twice, sitting up to cling with a fierceness were more eloquent than any words could ever be. However, there was an effect that Alex honestly hadn't anticipated.

Lena felt good and smelled better. She was something subtly musky with a low note of florals like carefully preserved blooms whose scent lingered. And the feel of her, soft and curvy but with a distinct strength, hands fisted into Alex's shirt…

The hard swallow seemed like the safest reaction.

"I--"

Whatever Alex was going to say was lost in a faint but distinctive sound carrying through the wall shared with the next unit over.

"Are you kidding me?"

Lena giggled a little wetly as the notes of an athletically fucking couple grew in volume. Then Alex snerked and in an instant, the two of them were carrying on like a pair of cartoon hyenas. It seemed smarter to avoid one another's eye for a bit to keep from laughing until they were sick, Alex fiddling with the little television while Lena grabbed the wine bottle and settled into a lazy lean against the headboard. 

"I don't know if I want to throw them out in the snow to cool off or applaud."

Having found 'A Christmas Story' about halfway through, Alex had been attempting to sit like a civilized person, but Lena's quip collapsed her like the taser had been pulled out. Gasping around her laughter, she yelled, "get it!" before laughing even harder.

Eventually she managed to sit shoulder to shoulder with Lena and they tossed a blanket over their legs and traded the bottle back and forth. But the movie didn't keep Lena's attention for long, her gaze drifting to Alex's profile. She'd blame the wine for the completely indelicate question that fell out of her fool head.

"So, are you okay?"

"Pfft! God no. But I think I'm finally feeling like I'm growing a new heart. It sucks really. Find love and it just doesn’t work out. I mean, really, why did the fucking universe even bother? There were days I cried and raged about how I wish I'd never met Maggie, but I don't mean it. Even feelin' like I'm gonna die some days because I could barely breathe? I wouldn't trade it for a thing. Had ta happen. I needed it to teach me how to be myself. I feel like I'm, I dunno, coming back to life? I've been trying to figure out how to just be me again, and it hasn't been easy. Some time and perspective has helped. I jumped in too fast, too far, but I'm remembering who I am, learning how I've changed. And yeah… I still really want kids. Mine, adopted, doesn't matter to me. Fact, now that 'm talking about this, I think I might actually be ready to start takin' that seriously."

It was far and away the most words Lena had ever heard Alex say, her voice ranging from a harsh scoff to soft and thoughtful as she stared off to some distant point only she could see. When she blinked and that dark, intense gaze came to rest on Lena, the younger woman almost shuddered. She wasn't certain if she was intimidated or really turned on. The wine and company dragged more truths from her, spilling out almost eagerly after too much time stored away.

"I flirted with Kara, harbored a crush for a long time, because before her, I really was convinced no one could want me just because they liked me and not because they wanted something. I literally had no context for her. Someone being nice must want something right? But the flirting is a language she doesn't seem to know, or, to my shock, because she just likes me and doesn't want anything but to just like me. Feels like trying to breathe water sometimes, but I love it."

Tracing her fingertip around the wet mouth of the bottle to feel the glass hum against her hand, Lena's voice softened like a child confessing a secret that terrified her.

"I was only thirteen when Lex finally completely snapped, on the heels of nearly a decade of being a Luthor, of being raised like a pet with too many expectations and so little reward or affection. He was the only one who showed me any warmth, and even that didn't last long. And when your name is already famous because of old wealth and notoriety that comes with that, and then not one, but two family members go psychotic mass murderer? Yeah, that's hard to… incorporate into the day to day. Even doing something as ordinary as talking to a therapist isn't really in my wheelhouse. Who the hell could I really trust?"

Shaking her head to return her brain to the present, Lena did her best to force a little brightness into her tone, all too aware of Alex's soft sympathy in the corner of her eye.

"Anyway, so Kara comes along, pretty and soft and nice and actually likes me. It was a lifeline. Then realizing that she's Supergirl too? That the loss of her whole world and culture and the violence between Lex and her cousin and she still stays by my side? It rattles my whole world and gives me a strength I've never felt."

"She's extraordinary for sure," Alex said softly and didn't comment at how Lena scrubbed at her eyes.

"I think I've had enough, no matter how good this bottle is. If you kept that cork, it should preserve most of its goodness for a day or so. I'm gonna go brush my teeth."

"Sure."

The agreement was mostly redundant as Lena scrambled to the end of the bed and bolted.

Well, this was going to be awkward. 

Corking the bottle and tossing a little more wood into the stove before digging out her own toiletries, Alex waited to trade with Lena, quietly asking for the side of the bed closest to the door. With the pistol resting on the bed stand, Lena nodded in agreement.

Scrubbing up and using the toilet, Alex wandered back to the bed to find Lena snuggled into the bedding, hair up in a loose bun and a mystery blue pillow tucked under her head. "I always travel with my own pillowcases. There are spares if you'd like one."

"Sure, thanks."

The blue fabric sitting atop Lena's large suitcase was definitely silk. The questioning look made Lena shrug a little self-consciously. "It's gentler on long hair than cotton. At least Mom taught me a few good things."

"Might be why mine was always a wreck before I chopped it off."

The little flash of smile was awkward.

After stuffing a pillow into the silk cover, there was nothing to be done but shutting off the bedside light and crawling into the bed. It was a relief that 'White Christmas' was queuing up on the television. That was hours of low noise and some music.

Better that than the uncomfortable silence between them.

Months had passed since Alex had felt a warm body by her side that wasn't Kara, and even that had been rare, both of them nursing too many hurts. It hardly seemed fair that she finally had a beautiful woman at her side and it was a farce. Hurt weighed on her heart and throat, prickly tears gathering in the corners of her eyes.

"Dammit."

"What's wrong?"

"Sorry, that was supposed to be an inside thought. I'm okay."

Curling up on her side, knees hanging over the edge of the bed in an effort not to touch, Alex clung to her pillow and the kindly offered gift of a soft surface to lay her head on.

The tentative touch of fingertips between her shoulder blades made her shudder reflexively.

"I…" her voice cracked and Alex swallowed around the lump in her throat before trying again. "I'll apologize in advance if I get… friendly while I sleep. I… I miss someone to hold at night."

Astonishingly, Lena flattened her hand to Alex's back and leaned in far enough to nod her head just above that unexpected touch. "Okay."

And somehow, that small connection was enough for a semblance of peace to close around them both.

A peace that lasted for some hours until Lena whimpered, just chipping at the edges of Alex's sleeping mind before she startled awake violently enough to nearly scare ten years off of both of their lives. Having pressed in close, Lena's shoving off nearly sent Alex sprawling to the floor while she recoiled hard enough to crack herself painfully into the wall.

"Lena! Lena! It's me, Alex. Shhh, shhh, you're okay. Here, take my hand, you're okay. I'm right here."

For a moment Lena remained trapped in whatever was in her head, eyes huge in her face. Then her gaze began to focus, flicking from Alex face to her hand, reaching out but not touching.

Alex dropped a leg to the floor to brace for the tackle hug that nearly took her right off the bed. But she had years of practice taking on far bigger and stronger than Lena Luthor and wrapped her up in a strong hug to calm the tremors. It had grown a little chilly in the room and Alex tugged at her companion to lie down and rest, dragging the blankets over them both.

"Just relax, I'm right here. Listen to my heartbeat. That's right, scoot down a bit and just listen. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere."

Shaking and breathing hard from fear and adrenaline, Lena clutched onto Alex and hung on her voice, the steady beat of her heart, the living warmth of her and the gentle stroking of her head and upper back. It had been no one thing that had welled up in her mind, but the unfortunately cacophony of too much horror that had assaulted her over her years. But one image stood out a bit, one that would never leave her.

"I think I was back in the cargo plane with the chemicals, falling away to the water because Supergirl… because Kara couldn't persuade me to climb. God, some days it's so hard to just keep going and not want to lay down and just give up."

The whisper, thick with tears, struck close to home with Alex as well.

"Then it's a good thing you're not alone."

Gradually, Lena relaxed and Alex eventually felt comfortable giving her a little pat to get her attention.

"Okay, time for a break and resituating. If nothing else, your arms are going to go to go numb. I'll feed the fire and you can hit the bathroom before we reconvene in five. Well, five-ish."

"No synchronizing our watches?" Lena joked to deflect from a whole new wave of nerves that rushed in as sure as the cool air as they separated. In the glare of the lone bulb in the bathroom, she huddled on the toilet and rubbed her aching head, feeling weak and needy and so utterly emotionally rattled.

Frankly, Alex would have sympathized had she been aware. Distractedly tossing in some kindling and a couple small logs into the stove with a bit of paper to let the coals ignite the new fuel, she was feeling lost and needy herself.

She was still crouching watching the flames, as Lena crept past and back into the bed, little more than a shape in the thick bedding and a pair of eyes catching the flicker of fire. In the bathroom, Alex forced herself to look at her reflection, see the conflict and rawness in her expression.

In that same charged quiet, Alex climbed back into the bed, both of them feeling the scant inches between them like a crack in the world. 

"Thank you," Lena whispered. "For the fire. And… for everything."

"My pleasure. You can come closer you know."

Despite the invitation, Lena shifted closer tentatively like a beaten animal afraid of more pain, but so desperate for contact that she would risk it for a touch. Head on Alex's shoulder and a gentle arm around her, at last Lena felt like she could shed the last dregs of the nightmare. The hypnotic brush of Alex's thumb over the curve of shoulder was incredibly soothing.

"You smell good."

Possibly a little too soothing if her inability to keep her mouth shut was any indication.

"Like some sort of understated men's cologne leaning towards woodsy? Warm and cottony and a little baby powder. Not masculine exactly, but certainly not traditionally feminine either. I like it."

The quiet babbling was cute and Alex gave Lena a little one-armed squeeze. "When I was recruited by J'onn in to the FBI, it became a habit to blend in with my coworkers. Partly because I wanted to be taken seriously and partly because it worked incredibly well. Smell is one of those subconscious thing few ever notice."

"Huh. I would have never thought of that. I just leave it to the experts."

"My division has actual scent rules in place now, which I instituted for good reasons. Which is a godsend sometimes because seriously, patchouli. Eeew."

The little stab at humor worked, a huff of amusement making Lena seem a little lighter somehow. "So no strong perfumes then, huh?"

"Pfft. Perfume is date wear. Like fancy underwear."

It was an inadvertently loaded comment that neither of them missed. Eyes closed, so very aware of the body she lay against, Lena strove for self-control, to not fall deeper under this enigma's spell. As the silence between them was stretching out towards 'awkward', Lena tried for a normal tone of voice, not succeeding as well as she'd hoped. 

"Still, you'd make it look good."

Then the realization struck Alex like a fist to the mouth and she spoke before she could think.

"You're flirting with me."

It wasn't a question and Lena flinched as though struck. "I'm sorry, I just…"

"I didn't say I minded."

Mercurial was the only word Lena's rattled mind could come up with. Stiff with nerves, she awkwardly traced Alex's shirt cuff. "I guess… no. Yes, I am flirting with you. I'm sorry if I've made you uncomfortable, you're just really amazing and interested, I mean interesting."

Alex felt for her companion, nervous and insecure to the point of sounding like she was going to burst into tears. The woman might have a hell of a suit of emotional armor, but with a glance through the cracks, the bruises were livid against her soul. Yet, there was nothing weak about Lena and she seemed more a anvil than armor. No matter how much she was hit and beat down, she endured, beautiful things shaped against her. 

And anvils were only deadly when dropped. With a little support, Lena had changed the world, saved millions, made strides to save a name hated in ways few could comprehend.

Curling her fingers under Lena's chin, Alex gently tipped her head up, taking in the conflict, the damp eyes somehow still pale in the dim light.

"I hadn't really allowed myself to really notice how beautiful you are. The smarts and drive make you enormously appealing, Lena." The quirk of depreciating smile eased Lena as Alex kept speaking gently. "And your scars and insane background hardly faze me of all people."

A little overwhelmed, Lena scooted up, pressed in closer, rested her forehead against Alex's cheek, felt the softness of that smile against her skin.

"Would you regret me?"

The hoarse, desperate intent of those words touched Alex, drew her closer to the pain and strength of this woman.

"No," she whispered back, tracing her thumb over Lena's lower lip, ensnared by the tremble there. "I would not regret you. In fact, I'd really like to kiss you. May I?"

"Please…"

It was no explosive, wildly romantic kiss, but neither was at all disappointed. A touch of soft lips, warm breath, noses brushing, they fell together gradually, sank into the sweet kisses. Soothed and aroused, Lena blinked her eyes open when Alex's mouth moved away, but not far. Eyes black in the poor light and the fire a halo in her reddish hair, she was mysterious and enticing.

The temptation was too much and Lena dove back in, but pulled up at the last second, their mouths barely brushing.

"Can I," she had to pause a moment to swallow hard, her voice rough and husky. "Can I kiss you again?"

That slow, seductive smile was as potent as any caress and Lena relished the way she literally shivered in response.

"Yes."

Tentative but overeager, Lena came at the kissing too hard, but Alex would not be rushed. She'd done that already with her lone one night stand and wanted to really wallow in whatever this would become with Lena.

And Lena picked up on it, slowed, let the last of the adrenaline fade from her veins. The kisses were softness and curiosity and lush heat, the sharp edge of teeth at the periphery, the little flashes of tongue a tease here and there. 

Lena was not at all ashamed that she was the first one to moan softly, the hum of arousal in her blood making her feel high and floaty. Unfortunately, the moan turned into something less pleasant at the flash of pain from the shoulder that had been holding up her weight the whole time they had been kissing.

"Ow," she groused and collapsed onto her own side of the bed, unsurprised when Alex propped herself up to check on her. "That was amazing and wonderful, but, cramp."

"S'ok," Alex murmured against her lips, massaging gentle fingertips into the aching shoulder. "Lets me be on top."

Lena snerked first, but Alex wasn't very far behind her and soon they were both seized with laughter.

"Stay," Lena encouraged softly when Alex would have moved her weight off. "You feel good."

It was easy to fall into one another again, Lena squirming from the carnal burn, thighs locked tight around Alex's hips, hands rough in her short hair.

"I…" the way Lena's deep voice broke made Alex grin wolfishly. "I think if we don't stop, I'm going to want to strip you naked and have my way with you."

"Oh?" Alex drawled teasingly and made no move away. "So if I were curious about what you felt and tasted like, I wouldn't be unwelcome?"

Lena was dizzy with the surge of raw want the bold talk invoked. For all that Alex had been startled by the flirting, there was no hesitation in her now!

"God, Alex, you're driving me crazy…"

The low, filthy chuckle against the sensitive hinge of her jaw made Lena's hips jerk in anticipation. Caught up in the moment, in the need, she grabbed and groaned, her whole body a long note of pure want.

Despite herself, Alex was caught up in the moment, but conflicted by her own thoughts and memories too. She couldn't help but remember her lost love and how differently she had responded, the hazy mental snapshots of a stranger who had helped settle her in her own skin again. It was harder to shake then she thought it would be, but she was determined to do this right. 

Wrestling her head up against the punishing grip Lena had in her hair, Alex spoke breathlessly. "Wait. Gimmie a second to just feel you. I don't want to be the asshole that's thinking of someone else when I'm with you."

Stunned, Lena blinked at the words and the raw emotions they called up in her. There was something about Alex's intensity that made her want to be more honest than she was used to. So she lay back and more than willingly allowed open access to all of her.

Alex didn't hesitate to take advantage, running a caressing hand over Lena's belly and hip, soothing and sensual. An open-mouthed kiss to the hollow of throat got a sound out Lena that was pure sex.

"You smell good," Alex whispered, a hint of tease in her tone and the little curve at the corner of her mouth. "I noticed earlier. Something softly floral and a little musky and warm and alive."

Not trying to escape the strong grip around her hips, Alex hunched up and rubbed her nose and cheeks over the silky shirt draped over Lena's curves. She was looking forward to getting to know the body beneath, encouraged by Lena tugging at her own shirt, equally as eager. 

"I like teasing as much as anyone," Lena laughed breathlessly as they struggled with the fabric, "but if you're going exploring anyway, I'd really like your mouth on my skin."

That cheeky grin was as big a thrill as the warming lovemaking. When had Alex last looked so carefree?

Together, and with much giggling effort, the two of them got Lena's shirt removed. She shivered more from Alex's expression than the dulled hint of the weather outside.

"Wow," Alex said admiringly, her free hand trailing down Lena's arm and around the curve of one heavy breast.

"What, you hadn't noticed?"

"Oh, have no fear, I noticed. Just not in the habit of ogling."

A sharp inhale through Alex's nose was Lena's reward for her hands smoothing over hidden ribs and the tense bands of muscles over her lean torso.

"May I?"

With only a moment's hesitation, Alex grabbed her collar and helped peel the t-shirt off, instantly flustered by the look on her lover's face.

"I knew you'd be beautiful, but wow."

When the snuggled together, skin to skin, both were pleased at the sensuous feel, eager to give into the rising heat between them.

"Let me love you…"

"Yes…"

 

\----

Shaking her head at the adults, Ruby nonetheless added her voice to the long drive of bellowing along to eighties pop hits interspersed with a few rounds of, '99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall'. For some reason, it kept sending Kara into hysterics, which clearly amused Sam to no end. They were smugly pleased with themselves for their matchmaking efforts and in no hurry to rush up the mountain. 

Why only Ruby thought it hadn't been the best idea was anyone's guess.

Even the hassle of having to put on snow chains couldn't dampen their spirits. Kara was fascinated by the process. Once she watched Sam do one wheel, she was more than happy to let the California girl try her hand at it. Then they queued up with the rest of the traffic to finish winding their way into the mountains.

The late morning sunshine broke over quaint Leavenworth as they arrived, evoking much ooooing and aaahing. 

"As soon as we collect Alex and Lena, we're coming back here," Kara enthused.

"Why did we end up so far out of town anyway?"

Kara just grinned at Ruby's query. "Because the best rated stay is the little resort we're at. Lots of fancy amenities while still quiet and private. Good wifi, a gym, a highly rated restaurant and even an indoor pool! Besides, there weren't any places with a proper suite close to town."

"Okay, fair enough."

Past clusters of cute little houses and cabins nestled among the trees and snow was well-maintained road already plowed and waiting for use. There was an actual security gate where Kara leaned nearly into Sam's lap to answer the query through the speaker there.

At the top was a lovely lodge picturesque in its setting; exactly what anyone could hope for in a snowy mountain retreat. They pulled up to be greeted by a cheerful valet who grabbed their bags and piled them onto a cart for the bellhop before whisking the car away. In a babble of good mood, the trio admired the cheerful interior of the homey lodge.

"Think we should warn them we're here? Or just scare the crap out of them?" Sam cackled and Kara was clearly torn over the idea.

"I suppose we should warn them."

Laughing, Sam made it to the desk first and gave her name to the employee there before returning her attention to Kara. "Spoil sport! Hey, can we call up to the suite?"

"Excuse me, ma'ams, but no one has checked in before you."

There was a baffled moment of silence from the visitors before Kara managed a weak, "what?"

"I'm sorry, but the reservation wasn't filled last night."

Even the relatively unflappable Sam stared for a moment before she jerked her gaze over to an equally panicking Kara. "Oh my god, how could they have not made it here? I gave them the… the…" If possible, Kara looked more panicked. "I did give them the reservation, didn't I?"

Torn between worry and wanting to facepalm at the adults, Ruby pulled out her phone and finally turned it on. The signal was lousy, but it went through to Alex, her voicemail kicking in after a few rings. 

"Hey, cool aunts, did you survive the night? I really hope you did, because Mom and Kara are freaking out. Please call as soon as you can, okay?"

Her shrug only sent the others into a more hectic frenzy. The concierge got the missing names to call the sheriff and sent the arriving valet scurrying back for the car. Grabbing their purses and backpacks, the National City trio left their luggage to be taken to the suite and bolted for town.

By the time the third hotel refused to give Kara any information, she was about to scream with frustration. Thankfully, Sam had the sense to go straight for the police. The officer assured them that, unless the missing parties had foolishly tried taking on the weather themselves, someone would have found them a warmish place to sleep.

Knowing Alex, Kara wasn't completely reassured. 

Babbling an excuse about needing to look herself, Kara bolted, barely remembering to keep her speed down until she found a quiet corner and tried to ignore her own panicked heartbeat to listen for the familiar beat of Alex's. Filtering out every other sound, she reached out with her super-hearing, desperately searching for her sister's heartbeat.

Until at last, she found its welcome song, elevated and fast, Lena's answering it close by. Panicked anew, Kara whipped into her Supergirl suit and blasted for the sky like a hypersonic rocket. 

Were they in danger? Had something awful happened in the freezing night? As she once again searched out the beat in all the background noise, a moan and whimper sent her into a terrified dive. 

It happened in a blur, her x-ray vision giving her an eyeful of way too much information at just how successful the matchmaking efforts had gone. Seeing her sister straddling her best friend, head thrown back, both of them naked and with hands busier than she ever needed to know about…

Kara's impact with the ground shook loose the snow on trees and roofs alike for some distance around. Desperately wishing for some brain bleach, she whipped up a quick tornado to pile in as much snow over her crater as possible and fled fast enough to nearly break the sound barrier.

"Bet that racket was Kara," Alex mused, torn between resigned amusement at probably having scandalized her sister-- served her right-- and being utterly distracted by Lena's nakedness and the talented hand between her legs.

"Mmmm, I'll pay off that bet later. I'm not done with you yet."

"You're doing great… so far."

Groaning, Alex leaned in to kiss her lover, muffling her throaty noises of pleasure, hips working to help out with her own pleasure.

Lena had been woken to sleepy little kisses up the side of her neck and behind her ear. Just as Alex had warned, she'd wrapped herself around her slightly smaller lover like a koala bear, drawn to the warmth of her. With their earlier lovemaking fresh in their minds, one thing had led to another, interrupted only by the thudding impact of what had to have been a worried Kara.

Oh well. At least she knew they were all right.

With Alex panting her way down from a welcome orgasm, Lena was close herself, caught up in her lover's touch and that slow, sexy grin.

"When we're somewhere warmer, I'd like to lay you out and get my mouth on you, feel your thighs around my skull."

That did it.

Shivering in the cool air of the little room, the pair snuggled together, Lena twisting to grab Alex's phone when she was asked. With said phone resting on Lena's shoulder where she lay on her side, Alex watched the device come to life to reveal both text and voicemail warnings.

"Guess they finally got worried," she snarked and enjoyed the huff of amusement against her clavicle.

"Kara is going to be devastated that she forgot to give us details."

"True. Still, she knows we're alive and that's the important part."

"Are you calling her? We might both sound a little… sexed up at the moment."

"Nope. Sending a text to Ruby. Bet she's calmer than her adults right now. Besides, I want a shower before we face them. Because they're going to freak out with worry and then be smug as hell."

"Point."

It took some effort, but they eventually got up and moving, calling to the desk and putting together fresh clothing and sundries in preparation for using the spa's showers. Then it was getting dressed, their things all packed up and checking to make sure they hadn't forgotten anything. Then, with sweet kisses, they bid farewell to the claustrophobic little room where they had become lovers, and stepped into the snowy morning.

 

EPILOG

It took a bit, but Kara and Sam finally picked up that they were in the doghouse when the other two adults flat out ignored their calls and texts. However, Alex responded promptly to Ruby's communications. That included an actual phone call once they finished up showering. 

Alex carefully pulled on her Agent Danvers armor, warmed up a bit for the kid. "Hey Ruby, good to hear from you. Are your mom and Kara sulking epically?"

The giggling was adorable and made Alex grin widely. "Yeah! And they look sorta miserable and maybe even terrified. Are you really that scary?"

"Only when I'm mad or protective. Wait, that's me right now! Good, they can be scared for a bit."

Ruby's giggling went to full laughter at that, because she couldn't take Alex's teasing tone seriously. "I tried to tell them it wasn't a good idea, but they wouldn't listen."

"That hardly surprises me. I've known you were the smartest of the bunch since that day in the park."

"Thanks Alex! So, can we meet you guys for breakfast or something? There's a place over by the Starbucks that Kara is sorta drooling at."

That made Alex chuckle. "You got it. Let us finish cleaning up and we'll be right over. It won't take long."

"Okay! Bye!"

Having forgone shenanigans in their shared shower due to some impressively chilly stone walls, Lena was happy with a rib-compressing hug and warm kisses.

"So how do you want to play this?" she murmured and relished Alex's wide smile against her lips.

"Oh, we are so going to troll the hell out of the both of them. I say we play like nothing has changed for as long as we can. If they don't figure it out, you have my permission to kiss the hell out of me in the snow. Sound good?"

Lena cracked up with sheer delight and kissed her once more.

Tossing their things into the Jeep, they kept only purses and left the car in the day parking by the spa. With a last kiss, they pulled on a more aloof demeanor, in case there was a peeking Kryptonian, and walked the couple of short blocks to the town center. Streets and sidewalks had been cleared, but the ice still caught Alex off guard, her arms windmilling for balance. Laughing, Lena grabbed her, feet planted firmly on the fiddly footing.

"Not fair," Alex whined, clutching at Lena while she righted herself. "What sort of badass am I now?"

"You're a California surfer girl with no damn clue how to deal with the reality of an actual winter, you wuss. Put your whole foot down and toe-heel it, not the heel-toe you're used to."

Balanced once more, Alex realized how close they were, her whole expression gone soft and hungry. "This playing nothing changed thing isn't going to be easy, is it?"

Lena's delighted smile could have powered all of National City.

The delicious-smelling bakery was a welcoming haven after the crisp chill of the outdoors and the pair lit up with happiness as Ruby rushed them. It was no shock that she hugged Alex so hard, but Lena was delighted to be pulled into the hug too.

"I'm really glad you guys are okay. So are they."

They, of course, were a wide-eyed Sam and Kara, sitting quietly at the table, watching the rest of their party.

"Good. Let us get some food and coffee and we'll join you."

"'Kay!"

It was a queue of goodies to pick and choose from, their coffee orders filled and things warmed while they waited to pay up. With trays in hand, they finally joined their companions, who looked ready to burst. 

Kara's blue eyes and Sam's brown flicked back and forth, utterly unable to read the other two.

"Um, good morning?" Kara finally said timidly, looking for all the world like a miserable puppy. "I think I forgot to tell you where we were staying."

"So we figured out," Alex drawled and attacked her breakfast like a starving woman. Lena smiled thinly at her pals before following suit. "Did you make your deadline?"

The blasé question between bites threw Kara off. There was quite literally nothing she could do in the situation, what with the other three sitting right there! She knew the pair had coupled up, wanted to squee and gossip, and was completely hemmed in by her secret identity.

Later, she was so going to yell at Alex for that smug smirk lingering at the corners of her expression.

With half their breakfast gone, the wayward pair finally told the tale of their adventure, leaving nothing out. Until the end of course. 

"That's it? You just slept?" Sam's disbelief was hilarious and took a toll on her friend's self-control. Poor Kara looked ready to cry from frustration.

"Well, we had to huddle up a little for warmth, but that was no big deal. Right, Lena?"

To cover up the smirky grin desperate to escape, Lena took a long sip from her cup while she shrugged. "Sure. The place was a bit drafty, but certainly better than being stuck out in the snow. So what should we do today?"

Despite being heavily suspicious that she was missing something, Ruby was happy to go on about sledding and a fudge shop she'd read about online. With bellies sated, the adults were more than willing to be herded out by the smallest of their party and enjoy the frigid air and excited crowds.

With the sledding area just around the corner, they gravitated that way to buy a couple of overpriced plastic sleds and join the gaggle of kids and adults taking advantage of the piled snow banks in what appeared to be some sort of central park in warmer weather. Finding a place for Ruby to try out her new toy was finally enough to call away Sam's attention and the new couple hung back to let Kara get sucked in as well.

Only then did Alex feel a cool hand tickle into her pocket to intertwine with hers.

"So, could I take you out sometime?" Lena asked shyly and Alex turned her head to smile with sincere warmth.

"I'd really like that. Think we can find something quiet to do?"

"I hope so. I'd like to keep you to myself for as long as I can. Except from them, of course."

The privacy issue was something Alex in particular was going to have to come to grips with, but in that moment, she couldn't care less.

"Except for them, of course. So, I believe I gave you permission to kiss me out in the snow. Are you gonna make me beg?"

The soulful puppy eyes were something Lena hadn't encountered yet from this sister and it was a real kick to the heart. "Jeez, I see where Kara learned it from."

The beseeching expression warmed to a smug grin she had to lean in and kiss. It felt good to do so out in the big, bad world with the babble of the happy crowd surrounding them. They barely noticed, caught up once more in the chemistry between them.

"Hey!" Ruby called out laughingly, followed up quickly by her mother.

"You sneaks!"

"I knew I was right!" Kara finally yelled.

"Incoming," Alex warned and kissed her lover a final time before turning and catching the missile that was her sister's hug. The Arias' were only a beat behind her and together, the five of them made a happy group hug in the midst of their winter wonderland.

**Author's Note:**

> This was the last piece I started in the collection of 13, and stood empty for a long time! No one good idea fell into my head. Then a post popped up: http://shatterpath.tumblr.com/post/167775925663/dealanexmachina-sarah-the-ninja and I realized that I really needed to do this particular trope. It didn't come easy, but the ideas finally came together and began to work. Besides, this is the closest I've stuck to canon with this pairing yet!
> 
> EDIT 7/7/18- When rambling at my Roomie about this piece (I was hyper and chatty), she pointed out that I missed THE BEST LINE EVER. When Supergirl crashes and shakes the ground, WHY didn't one of them say, "did the earth move for you?"  
> Dammit!
> 
> (This came up randomly in a conversation and was so interesting that I jumped all over it. Because I totally believe Alex would clue in on such a detail.)  
> theillogicalthinker: Though if she's like me she'd be practical and use all men's toiletries because they are cheaper and smell better tbh. And probably blend her scent in with all the dudes she works with. Which might be useful in some situations  
> Shatterpath: I NEVER THOUGHT OF IT THAT WAY  
> theillogicalthinker: You can pick up scents that are distinctly different in a mass of similar scents. So the one girly scent is gonna stand out
> 
> And randomly, because that's what I do!  
> shatterpath: I'm going to have Lena nursing a little crush too. Because I can. she gave up on Kara ages ago. LOL!  
> geekystorytelling: Yaaaas please. Crushing Lena is the best Lena  
> shatterpath As ill said to me at some point during this project: Ughhh angsty Lena pining for Alex gives me so much life  
> geekystorytelling: Yes it’s true! And confident Alex playing it up? Might as well kill me now. Though we all know she’s faking it till she makes it  
> shatterpath: Alex coming back to life as she figures out how to be just her again, with a little time and perspective. She jumped in too fast, too far. Doesn't make her regret Maggie or love her less, but she's remembering who SHE is as herself  
> Alex is a blade. She has to be heated and cooled at violent extremes to bring out her best  
> geekystorytelling: Wait I love that. A blade.  
> shatterpath: i don't really have a good analogy for Lena. I suppose she could be the anvil. Keep hitting her and she somehow endures, beautiful things shaped against her. Like when that father was yelling at her in Catco. UGH…! and anvils are only dangerous if they're dropped on you  
> geekystorytelling: I love it. that's a great analogy  
> shatterpath: I DO LIKE A GOOD PARALLEL


End file.
